


Killzone

by Puddventures



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Clone Drabble, F/M, Jedi/Clone Relations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-14 20:41:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11215896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puddventures/pseuds/Puddventures
Summary: Events take place 1.5 to 2 years before Order 66. A friend ran an Order 66 one shot for us, and we had a week to think about our clone troopers. These short snippets are the result of that.





	1. Chapter 1

“I think it's over…” Killzone triple checks their surroundings for hostiles, only letting his guard down when he's sure there are none.

There's a groan beside him, and he turns to see Commander Ishwaar sink to her knees.  
“Commander!” He's crouched in front of her in a flash, holding her by the waist to keep her from falling over “Are you alright?”  
“I'll be fine,” she says, unconvincingly. Her voice is thready, and she keeps swaying left when he doesn't prop her up. Killzone brings a hand away to call for a medic but stops short. His gloves are soaked with blood.

Breaker descends from his perch on top of a ruined building “Hey Cap-- whoa, Commander you look like hell...”  
“Call for a medic!” the Captain barks. He fights down the panic welling up in his chest  
“Kriff…! Uh, yeah-- yeah on it.”

Killzone helps Ari shrug her tattered outer robes off so he can get a better look at the injury. He hisses when he sees two long, jagged lacerations, cutting up from her hip to her ribs. Probably a graze from a droideka that got too close. _How long were you fighting like this?_  
“It's not as bad as it looks,” she says, as if reading his thoughts.  
“It looks pretty bad, Commander.”

“Captain, we don't have a medic any more.”  
_Of course we don't._ There wasn't time to ask why. “Find stimpacks. As many as you can, and get us a kriffing evac out of here!”  
“Yessir,” Breaker snaps a salute and takes off.

Killzone removes his bucket and sets it aside, looking around for something, _anything_ to tie the Commander's wounds off.  
“You're kriffing worried about me aren't you,” _You_ would _crack wise at a time like this, you insane woman._ He shakes his head but doesn't respond, begins tearing her robes into broad strips.  
“Captain--”  
“You are wasting energy you _do not have,_ Commander.”  
“Captain, I'm going to be fine.”  
“Yes, you are. You're welcome.”  
She snorts, then winces as he shifts her over to tie the strips cloth around her waist. He makes quick work of it, wrapping them tightly then tying them off. He isn't sure how much pain she feels, and she gives him no indication.

“Four stims, and evac’s 5 clicks out,” Breaker returns, triumphant. The captain grabs the four vials and tears each one open with his teeth, before stabbing them into Ari's side, just above her makeshift bandages.  
“ _Kriff_ Captain, you have _zero_ bedside manner!”  
He cocks an eyebrow at her. She's flagging heavily, having a hard time keeping her eyes open. He breathes a sigh of relief when he hears the whine of a U-Wing in the distance.  
“Can you walk?”  
“Depends. Is this walking?” She sits up as straight as she can, sways, then crashes to the side.  “Nope, can't walk. On the bright side, I know this is very uncomfortable,”

Killzone stands, handing his helmet to his brother, then scoops Ari up in his arms. “Force woman, you are heavier than you look,”  
“I workout.” she gives Breaker a saucy wink, that earns her a chuckle. “Don’t suppose you'll pay me back for those robes, hmm?” Killzone rolls his eyes and they make for the personnel carrier as it settles on the ground. 

\---

A Duros medic cleans and treats the scrapes on the Captain's arms and hands. The underlying buzz that's pervasive throughout the destroyer is louder here, and keeps his anxiety muted. He monitors Ari's heart rate readout on the side of the tank.  
“That was quick thinking on your part,” the medic says as he finishes up  
“Sorry, what?”  
“Quick thinking on your part. You bought her a lot of time. She'll be grateful, I'm sure.”  
“Yeah, uh…” He brings his attention back to the Duros in front of him. “Not really looking forward to getting reassigned.” _Force, Killzone, really?_ The Duros gives him an odd look before placing a final bandage.  
“All patched up. You're free to go, Captain.”  
Killzone snaps off a two fingered salute by way of thanks, then strides out of the med bay shaking his head. _Of all the asinine things to say..._


	2. Chapter 2

“No.” Ari walks swiftly down the corridor and into an open turbolift, Killzone following angrily behind.  
“Commander, I'm first pick on all operations because I'm your second--”  
“Oh, for pity’s sake--”  
“--my injury doesn't prevent me from entering the field. That is what they said!”

Ari slaps the floor selection panel with enough force to make Killzone wince. The turbo-lift grinds to halt as she rounds on him “What part of 'no' isn't clear, Captain?! They _also_ recommended you spend some time in combat sims, and I have to say, I agree.”  
“I'm fine! I don't--”  
“You lost an _eye_ ! You aren't fine! And you're not going anywhere-- question me again and I'll cite you for insubordination, don't you _kriffing_ tempt me!”  
“I can still shoot! I'm not some broken toy soldier--!”  
“I never said you were!”  
“--But you're fine just moving on to whoever's next in line when _I'm_ not useful anymore!”

His words hang in the air as Ari just stares at him, completely thrown.  
“What is this really about?” It's meant to be a kind question, but she sees it still stings him. Killzone hesitates, then speaks cautiously  
"I… have gotten used to… this.” He gestures uselessly, but she knows what he means.  
“You think my taking Breaker on one escort mission suddenly changes that?”  
“...Maybe? I don't know. It hasn't happened before. All I know is that after I got hurt, even though I _can_ come with you, you won't let me.”  
“I won't let you _because_ , you got hurt, Killzone.”  
“Right. Got it” He looks as if she slid a knife between his ribs.  
"No, I mean…” _Why is this so hard! “_ Dammit, I mean I don't want you to get _more_ hurt. Or dead. If that means a month re-training and a missed escort mission with perfumed kriffing dignitaries, that's a small price to pay.”  
Killzone huffs, but doesn't raise his voice “Why not just tell me?”  
"I honestly didn't think it'd be an issue, Killzone.”

He nods slowly, brow furrowed. Ari feels the familiar sensation of his concern crash into her, and she breathes a sigh of relief. They stand across from each other in the lift for a long time, neither speaking the apology that hangs over their heads.

It occurs to her that Killzone's expectations of her don't reflect the kind of partnership she assumed they had. She doesn't have a chance to think about it more. The muffled announcement calling her to the hangar bay interrupts her thoughts  and returns her to the present. She starts the lift back up and they ride the rest of the way in silence. 

The doors open and she walks out.  
“Just tell me next time, ok?” Killzone says, leaning on the open door.  
“Deal,” she says with a smile.


	3. Chapter 3

The pain of Ari’s teeth breaking skin blooms in Killzone's right shoulder and sends him careening over the edge. He crushes her against the wall, holds her hips in place as he drives deep. She cries out when he spills into her, digging her nails into his back. He barely catches her when her hold on him suddenly goes slack.

Killzone rests his head on the wall next to Ari’s, both of them breathing hot and hard in each other's ears. His eyes fly open when he feels her kiss his bite tenderly. He had _always_ worn her marks with pride; they were reminders that he'd done well -- that she gave them at all was more than enough. Her tending to them had never occurred to him. _What is this…_  

He draws in a shuddering breath, overwhelmed by a sudden surge of emotion. Her kisses trail slowly, steadily up his shoulder, then his neck. They stop at the hinge of his jaw, and he's painfully aware of how close her mouth is to his. _Don't do this to me_ . Ari noses him and his heart beat hammers in his ears. He turns his head a fraction towards her. _Don't do this._ He closes the distance and kisses her. She returns it with fervor, and he's gone.

Killzone curses his lungs when they scream for air. He breaks away from her only enough to catch his breath. His rapture fades and his mind spins, struggling to find an explanation. It doesn't have a chance to land. She kisses him again. He feels her heart pounding against his chest, in time with his as tears prick at his eyes.

\---

Later, when Killzone walks down the quiet corridors alone, he focuses on the dull ache he still feels in his shoulder. It convinces him that he’s real, that what happened was real and not a vivid figment of his imagination. He wanders for hours, until he can't think clearly anymore. It's early morning when he finally crawls into bed and drifts off to sleep, a single contented thought repeating in his mind. _I'm a kriffing dead man._


End file.
